Improvement in clothes-driers



A. .S. WHITTEMORE.

CLOTHES-DRIER.

N0.180,686. Patented Aug. 1, 1876 N. PEFERS. PNOYWUTHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT DFFIGE'.

ALBERT S. WHITTEMORE, OB WILLIMANTIO, CONNECTICUT.

, IMPROVEMENT INCLOTHES-DRlERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 180,686, dated August 1, 1876; application filed 1 May 29, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT S. WHITTE- MORE, of Willimantic, in the county of Windham and State of Connecticut, have invented certain Improvements in Olothes-Driers and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an apparatus which is designed more particularly for indoor use, for the purpose of drying and airing clothes and it consists, first, in a novel construction, arrangement, and combination of a series of arms, and a base or support for the same, whereby a clothes-rack is produced which may be readily adjusted and held in position for use, and as readily detached and folded in a small compass when not in use, and'whereby provision is made for varying the dimensions and capacity of the rack at pleasure; also, in the combination, with said rack, of an adj ustable brace or spreader of novel construction, which may be readily removed and used independently of the rack when desired.

In the accompanying drawing, Figurel' represents a top view of a clothes rack constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2

is a front or edge view of the same. Figs. 3

and 4 are detail views, hereinafter referred to.

A represents a board, which may be permanently attached to a wall, mantel-piece, or

other support, or may be provided with hooks,

eyes, or holes, so that it may be temporarily suspended and easily removed. At about the center of this board is a socket, B, which is preferably made of metal, and attached by screws or otherwise. 0 is an arm or bar, made of wood, and adapted for holding the clothes when adjusted to its place. Any number of these arms may be used, according to the desired capacity of the rack.

The drawing represents three of the arms 0, having their inner ends connected together by a wire, 0, running through holes therein, so that their outer ends may be moved outward or folded closely together.

At a suitable distance from the inner ends of the arms a wire, D, is passed through them or bent around them, so as to serve as a brace,

' own weight.

and to prevent their displacement in a vertical or edgewise direction, but allow them to move laterally or horizontally.

The arms are adjusted and held in position for use by inserting their attached inner ends in the socket B, and supporting them in a horizontal position by'means of a hook, E, on the upper side, extending from the board or socket to the brace D. When so arranged the arms are held steadily in place by their The arms are spread outward in fan-like form, radiating from the socket like the spokes of a wheel, and are held in such spread position by means of keys or wedges H, placed between them, which keys or wedges may be connected flexibly to the arms by cords,

in use. By this construction and arrangement of parts a clothes-rack is produced which, in

some cases, will provide as much space as needed for supporting the clothes to be dried and aired, said clothes being hung on the arms 0. But in order to provide more clothes than can be accommodated by the arms, I employ one or more cords, J, passing through notches in the ends of the arms, or being wrapped around said ends, and having the ends of the cords attached to the board A.

I prefer to provide the ends of the cords J with loops or eyes, and attach them to the board by means of hooks i. By this means additional supports for the clothes are provided, and the cords serve to strengthen the arms and assist in holding them steadily, and are easily attached and removed when desired.

K represents a bar of wood or other suitable material, provided with a yoke, M, consisting of a wire or cord looped midway of its length, and having its ends attached to the bar. This bar serves as a brace or spreader, and is applied to the rack by placing it above the arms 0, with the yoke M engaging-with a notch in one of said arms, and one of the cords J engaging with notches in the ends of the bar, and another cord, J, engaging with studs or projections l l on the bar, by which means the bar serves to tighten the cords, and to stifien and strengthen the rack, and also adu mits of clothes being hung upon it in the spaces between the arms 0 and cords J, while a bent wire, L, projecting upward from the bar, provides for the drying or airing of a tidy or similar article, by allowing it to be spread above the other clothes, without coming too closely in contact therewith.

When desired, the bar K may be used independently of the rack by suspending it from a hook or nail by means of the yoke M, with the wire L bearing against the wall, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to prevent contact of the clothes therewith when hung upon the bar K.

One or more books, N, of the form shown in Fig. 4, may be attached to the cords at any desired part of the rack, and a towel or similar article may be applied thereto for holding collars and cufls to be dried or aired or the books may be connected together to form a rack and support the collars or other articles.

When the arms are arranged to be used in connection with the socket Without the use of the cords or spreader, the keys H may, if desired, be permanently attached in place between the arms.

board A, of one or more cords, J, and books 1', as shown and described, for the purpose specified. 4. The spreader K, provided with the yoke M, studs or projections l, and support L, adapted to be used in connection with the clothes-rack, constructed as described, or to be suspended independently of said rack, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ALBERT S. WHITTEMORE.

Witnesses:

E. F. WHITTEMORE, HENRY F. RoYcE. 

